Multiple compartment box and blank



March 1963 s. A. AQUINO ETAL 3, 82,

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT BOX AND BLANK 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1961March 26, 1963 s.. A. AQUINO ETAL 3,082,929

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT BOX AND BLANK Filed April 17, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INMENAORS da/rafara A. 920020 (far/g? J 02301252202" March 26, 1963 s,A. AQUlNO ETAL 3,082,929

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT BOX AND BLANK Filed April 17, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5t United States Patent O cc meme, jfifiiiifi 1 percent. One of thechanges accomplished by the 3,082,929 MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT BOX AND BLANKSalvatore A. Aquino, 337 Trevor Lane, Bala-Cynwyd, Ifa

and James J. OConnor, 5432 Woodbine Ave, Phi adelphia, Pa.

Filed Apr. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 103,433 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-27) The presentinvention relates to a multiple compartment box of foldable sheetmaterial and to a blank for constructing the same.

A purpose of the invention is to produce a multiple compartment boxwhich will provide better protection against pilferage, particularlyduring self-service sales.

A further purpose is to produce a multiple compartment box which can beseparated into units at the point of sale without danger of pilferage.

A further purpose is to provide a multiple compartment box which canreadily be opened for tax stamping or marking or otherwise and reclosedwithout damage.

A further purpose is to provide a multiple compartment box which morereadily lends itself to display advertising.

A further purpose is to reduce the cost of packaging articles inseparable multiple compartment boxes.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claim.

In the drawings we have chosen to illustrate one only of the numerousembodiments in which our invention may appear, selecting the form shownfrom the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactoryoperation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a one-piece blank from which the box of theinvention may be produced.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective showing the completion of the bands which formthe compartments of the box and the bending up of one of the bands intoplace against the bottom panel.

FIGURE 3 shows the completion of assembly of the bands in side by siderelation, the completion of bending up of one end panel, and also of theend top flap, and the partial folding of the other end panel.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective showing the complete assembly of the box.

FIGURE 5 is a section of FIGURE 4 on the line 55.

FIGURE 6 is a section of FIGURE 4 on the line 6-6.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective showing the separation of the boxon the weakened tear line.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to thedrawings:

The box of the present invention is applicable to the sale of cartons ofcigarettes and to a wide variety of other products such as foods,electric light bulbs and the like. It lends itself to the production ofa multiple compartment box or container which is capable of beingseparated without exposing the contents, to render a smaller unitavailable for separate sale. In describing the device, reference will behad to its use for the sale of a carton of cigarettes and it will beunderstood that it can similarly be employed for other purposes asindicated.

Cigarettes have been extensively merchandised by point-of-purchase orimpulse sales on a self-service basis in supermarkets, grocery storesand the like.

One of the difiiculties involved is that the familiar elongated ten-packcigarette carton has been subject to heavy pilferage in suchself-service sales. Existing data indicate that the pilferage has inmany cases run as high as 5 or 6 percent.

The present invention is designed to reduce this dif ficulty, cuttingthe pilferage to a low figure, which under favorable conditions can, itis believed, he as low as invention is to change the overall contour ofthe box so that it is no longer long and thin but is short and wide,making it more difficult to grasp, and more difiicult to conceal in ahandbag or brief case, or in a pocket or under a coat.

One of the problems which has existed in the prior art has been thatthere is a legitimate desire to break down a carton of cigarettes intohalf carton units and efforts of this character have been made both bysupermarket personnel and by customers. Unfortunately even when anhonest attempt was made to separate the carton into a half carton unit,it has left a residual half carton which is even more easily pilfered.The present invention is designed to permit separation into half cartonunits, but only under conditions of effort and activity which willattract attention to the operation, so that store personnel can bealerted to the danger of pilferage of the remaining sub-unit.Furthermore, when the carton is broken down into a half carton unit,both of the resulting units are protected so that access to theindividual cigarette package or other contents cannot be had merely byseparating the carton into sub-units.

The invention also makes it possible for the Storekeeper or someoneunder his authority to separate the carton into sub-units.

A further feature of the invention is that the sides and ends of thecompleted box are of a more favorable shape for display advertising anddisplay advertising can properly be of a twin character which willremain eflective on the sub-units after the main carton is separated.

A special problem arises in respect to products such as cigarettes andin some cases foods. It may be necessary to open the carton so as toapply a revenue stamp or marking on the contents to show that itcomplies in some way with the state law, as, for example, throughpayment of a state tax. The carton of the invention lends itself readilyto opening for this purpose and permits ready rescaling after the stampor marking or the like has been applied to the packs of cigarettes orother contents.

Efforts have been made in the prior art to provide multiple compartmentboxes, as shown for example in Morand US. Patent No. 2,697,544, grantedDecember 21, 1954, for Plural Compartment Box Formed From a Single Blankof Sheet Material. These efforts, however, have resulted in theproduction of relatively expensive cartons which add considerably to thecost. One of the great advantages of the invention is that as comparedwith a previous carton which might have been used, the

cost is rather slightly increased because of the very elfectiveutilization of material, and the small amount of labor or machine timerequired for assembly.

Accordingly, the carton of the invention can be oifered to thesupermarket operator or grocery as a goodwill piece, to help to solvethe problem of pilferage without adding greatly to the cost. From anaesthetic standpoint, it lends itself to effective decoration and veryefficient use in advertising.

Considering first FIGURE 1, we there illustrate a one piece integralblank 20 of foldable sheet material. We prefer to use folding box board;but the material used may be such materials as cardboard, chipboard,strawboard or the like, or a plastic such as polyethylene or a metalfoil such as aluminum foil or tin foil or any other foldable sheetmaterial suitable for use in making a box-like container.

The blank is cut out and scored to form a wrapper portion 21 and bandportions 22. The wrapper portion has successively in straight linerelation an end top flap 23 which is conveniently tapered at the sidesat 24; then a fold line 25 running across the wrapper and desirablyscored for folding; next a bottom panel 28 which will form the bottom ofthe box; then a score line 3%, desirably scored for folding; then anopposite end panel 31 which will form the opposite end of the box; thena fold 32 desirably scored for folding and finally a top panel 33'adapted to form the top of the box.

All of the fold lines 25, 27, 3t and 32 are parallel to one another, asshown in FIGURE 1. All of the sides of panels 26, 23 and 31 are in linewith one another.

The top panel is connected at the sides by fold lines 34, desirablyscored for folding with two side top fiaps 35, desirably tapered at theends at 36.

The ends of the wrapper are separated from the band portions 22 by cutlines 37 along the end panel 26, by cut lines 38 along the end panel 31,and by irregular cut lines 40 along the side top flaps 35. There is acutout 40' in side flap 42, later described, to match cut line 40.

Each of the bands 22 is connected integral with the wrapper 21 by foldlines 41 which are transverse to the fold lines 25, 27, 39 and 32 andextend along the sides of the bottom panel 28.

Each of the bands 22 comprises a side flap 42 which is connected withthe rest of the band by a fold line 43 suitably weakened for bending.Then there is an end panel 44 which is interconnected by fold lines 45,suitably weakened for bending, with side panel 46 which makes one sideof the final box. Side panel 46. at the opposite end of the box isconnected by fold line 47, suitably weakened for bending, with end panelas which is connected by fold line 50, suitably weakened for bending,with opposite side panel 51 of the band. The side panels 51 of the twobands are together at the center, as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 6.

The fold lines 43, 45, 47 and 59 of the band are parallel to one anotherand are parallel to the fold lines 25, 27, 30 and 32 of the wrapper.Furthermore, a desirable feature of the invention is that the fold lines45 and 47 are simply in prolongation of the fold lines 27 and 30, makingit very easy to set up the blanking and folding die.

Adhesive is desirably placed near the remote extremity of bands 22 at 52and adhesive is conveniently placed at the remote extremity of top panel33 at 53.

The box is now ready for assembly. The first operation is to fold the.bands 22 into a rectangular formation as shown in FIGURE 2, bringing theadhesive area 52 at one extremity of each hand against the outside ofside flap 42 f the same band so as to hold the band together. Then eachband is erected by bending on fold line or hinge 41 until the bands havetheir inner side panels 51 in contact as shown in FIGURE 3. The contentsmay then be inserted by hand or by machine and the box is closed byfolding wrapper end panel 26 against the outside end walls 44 of thebands as shown in FIGURE 3, leaving end top flap 23 extending over thetop of the box.

Then end panel 31 of the wrapper is folded up against end panel 48 ofthe bands as shown in FIGURE 3 and then the top panel 33 is bent downand side top flaps 35 tucked inside side panels 46 of the band 22 andadhesive area 53 is brought in contact with end top flap 23. The box isthen completely sealed as shown in FIGURE 4. If desired, adhesive can beapplied to the surface of side top flaps 35 which engage side panels 45.

The above description of how the blank can be made up into a box relatesespecially to the situation where the entire process from beginning toend is done as one more or less. continuous operation in the oneestablishment. However, as a practical matter it will probably be morecommon for the blank to be made in one place and sold in one form oranother to another company which will at least put the contents into thebox and complete closure of the box at another place. The form in whichthe blank would be sold might be, for example, as a flat piece more orless in the condition of FIGURE 1, or as another example, in a form withthe bands 22 each joined together to form a compartment as shown inFIGURE 2, but with the compartment in each case lying on its side as onthe left hand side of that figure but flattened down for more economicaltransportation by bending it double at either fold lines and 50 or 47and 43. Where the original blank is made at a different place from thatwhere the box is filled and closed, the adhesive, such as 52 and 53,will normally be applied at the particular place where the particularclosing step involving that particular bit of adhesive is to take place,unless the adhesive in question is pressure sensitive adhesive. Forexample, if by chance a first company were to make the blank, a secondcompany were to form the compartments and thus bring it to the stageshown in FIGURE 2, and a third company were to insert the. contents andclose the whole thing up, then normally it would be the second companythat would apply the adhesive at 52, and the third company that wouldapply the adhesive at 53.

In the preferred embodiment, a weakened tear line 54, best seen inFIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4, runs from one side to the other of the wrapper 21at the middle so that it is placedin line with the interface betweenhand side panels 51. This weakened line may be, for example, a series ofperforations in the sheet material.

In order to separate the carton into two halves, it is merely necessaryto apply leverage as by the hands on opposite sides of the weakeningline 54 as shown in FIGURE 7 so as to separate the wrapper 21 into twoparts. The resulting carton halves still are completely protective ofthe contents since the inner side wall 51 of the band remains in place.

If desired, the weakened line across one particular face, as for exampleacross face 28, may be weakened less than the line is weakened along therest of its length. Indeed, across that one particular face it maymerely be scored, which in itself would have some weakening effect.Thus,

if and when the box should be torn along the weakened line, thisparticular stronger part of the weakened line could'be left intact,permitting the box to be opened up and placed in upright position withthe two compartments spread somewhat apart in more or less wingformation and the intact part of the line being upright and acting as afold line between the two compartments. Thus, for example, if thestronger part of the weakened line were that across face 23, the boxcould he stood up on the two halves of face 31. i

If desired, the two compartments could be made of different width, aswhere it was desired to include merchandise of dissimilar size in thedifferent compartments, and in such case any weakened line like 54 wouldnot be in the middle but toward one side of the middle at the placeWhere the division line between the compartments would be located.

A desirable feature of the device of the invention is that the band hasa cutout or window 55 provided by the removal of side top flaps 35 fromthe band, and this will permit the purchaser to inspect the edges of thecartons of cigarettes or other contents in the compartment 56 withouthis being able to remove the contents (such as a package of cigarettes)unless he opens the carton half.

It is believed that even in the case where the purchaser purchases afull carton, normal practice in opening may be to separate the cartoninto halves and then to remove the side wall 51 from one of the halveswhile leaving the other half intact for the purpose of protection.

In order to gain access legitimately to the contents for the purpose ofapplying marks or revenue stamps or otherwise, the storekeeper ormanufacturer can separate the glue at 53 from the end top flap Q3 andremove the contents and then after completing the marking, reinsert thecontents and reglue. If desired, pressure sensitive adhesive may beemployed.

In the preferred form, the bands are narrower than the wrapper and theend panels 48 are in length about onehalf the width of the wrapper.

While face 28 is called the bottom in this application, because usuallyin the box making operation it would be positioned at the bottom, thisdoes not mean that either in making or in packing or use it wouldnecessarily assume a bottorrnnost position. As a matter of fact, in usewith cigarettes, the cigarettes will normally be packed with their topstoward the bottom, and the bottom will usually be the uppermost face inactual box display of such cigarettes. However, for convenience ofdescription, instead of using such more confusing and complicatedterminology as first face, second face, etc., we have used the termbottom in both the specification and claim to mean one of the faces onwhich the open parts of the compartments abut in the finished box andmore specifically that one of the two such faces which assumes itsrelative position first in the overall box making and closing operation,rather than the one which comes over into its relative position in thelatter stages of such operation.

The top face, as used in the specification and claim, is the faceopposite the bottom as thus defined.

Also, in describing the other faces aside from top and bottom, forpurposes of clarity and simplicity the terms side and end have been usedin such a way that the term side was applied to what were in theparticular drawings which exemplified them the longer of these faces andthe term end was applied to what were in the particular drawings whichexemplified them the shorter of these faces, rather than using the moreconfusing terminology of third face, fourth face, etc. How ever, it willbe understood that in the specification and claim the terms side and endare not intended to mean that the sides are in fact necessarily longerthan the ends, but the sides could be shorter than the ends, as theterms are used in this application. The term side as used in thisspecification and claim means a face which in the finished box run inmore or less the same direction as the division line betweencompartments and the term end as used in this specification and claimmeans a face which in the finished box, will run transversely to theside as thus defined. k

In view of our invention and disclosure, variations and modifications tomeet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident toothers skilled in the art,

to obtain all or part of the benefits of our invention without copyingthe structure shown, and we, therefore, claim all such insofar as theyfall within the reasonable spirit and scope of our claim.

Having thus described our invention What we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

A multiple compartment box essentially consisting of an integrallyconnected wall of foldable material, said wall having two generallyrectangular band portions each provided with integrally connected sidewall panels, opposed integrally connected end wall panels and a sideflap integrally connected with the rest of the band portions and joinedto an opposed side wall of the band, and a wrapper consisting of abottom panel integrally hingedly connected to said band portions at thecorners of the outer side walls of said wrapper, end panels on saidwrapper integrally connected to said bottom panel, a top panel on saidwrapper integrally connected to one of said end panels of the wrapperand extending over and closing the otherwise open tops of said bandportions, said wrapper extending around the bottom, the ends and the topof said band portions, there being a weakened tear linecircumferentially around an intermediate point of said wrapper in linewith the line of the junction of said band portions, said two bandportions having side panels adjoining one another in face-to-facerelation, there being a window cutout at one edge of each of saidadjoining side panels of said band portions, the material from saidwindow forming integral side flaps on said top panel interconnected withthe outer side panels of said band portions, said window providingaccess to the interior of said band portions, and said box having an endtop flap from the other end panel of said wrapper interconnected withthe top panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,530,643 Blandford Mar. 24, 1925 2,648,481 Belsinger Aug. 11, 19532,648,483 Belsinger Aug. 11, 1953 2,684,178 Keller July 20, 19542,697,544 Morand Dec. 21, 1954 2,758,777 Dixon Aug. 14, 1956

